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Planning a Wedding on a Budget

You can still have an incredible day on a smaller budget!

Your wedding day is one of the most memorable days of your life. Because of this, it can be tempting to push the boat out and spend far too much on your wedding. Today weddings can cost an average of thirty thousand pounds, which is a huge sum of money for most people. You can still have an absolutely wonderful wedding on a small budget – after all, who wants to start married life with a massive debt?

Choose A Reasonable Venue

Opt for an affordable venue. While you may have always wanted to get married in a castle, these high-end premises are not cheap. If you think about how long you will be using the premises for – usually a maximum of twenty-four hours – it is easy to see that scrapping the fancy venue is a sensible option. Instead, choose a nice place that is affordable and that is easy for your guests to get to. It is not the place but the event that is important, after all.

Avoid Hidden Fees

When you are arranging your caterers, dresses, DJ and photographer, do make sure that you have fixed prices nailed down before the day. Insist that they let you know about any hidden fees before you agree to use them. In this way, you will not be hit with an unexpected extra bill following your wedding, when you are trying to get your expenses back on track. Wherever possible, get quotations in writing, with an affirmation that you will not need to pay more than the figure stated. This will be your protection should a supplier try to pad out their invoices, assuming that you will not notice.

Insurance Is Vital

Wedding insurance is a must. This is one expense that you should be happy to 'waste', but it is infinitely better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Wedding insurance can help you recoup any losses should the bridal party outfits be damaged. It also covers damage to or loss of the rings, any issues that might occur at the venue – a fire, a burst pipe, or any number of small catastrophes could cause issues with your wedding celebrations. With insurance, you should be able to get things back on track without needing to spend any more money.

Shop Around

Make sure you do use diligence when it comes to shopping around for the best deals. Even if you think you have found a good price, keep on looking – you might find an even better one! Also do not be scared to ask for a further discount, especially if you are bringing a lot of business to the company. They may well be able to afford to give you some things at a little above cost if they are making profit on other items. You may feel that it is a bit tawdry to ask for discounts on your wedding items, but there is no need to pay more than you have to for anything!

Small local businesses can be your friend for your wedding. Not only can they often offer you a good price because their overheads are low, but they will offer you an excellent personalised service. This will be because your wedding is as much of a big event for them as it is for you and they will be as invested in making sure that the day runs smoothly as you are.

Remain Organised

It is very important to write everything down. Keep a list of what needs to be ordered and what needs to be done and by whom, and keep careful track of your spending. Come up with a budget and work to keep within it – there is no point in having a budget if you are going to splurge on some items without considering what else needs to be paid for. Once you have all your quotes from your suppliers, fit them into the budget and see what is left over, if anything. Sometimes the parents' of the couple might offer to boost the coffers, handing over a sum of money to help cover costs and to ease the financial constraints on the couple. This money too, should be added into the budget and earmarked to help pay for the event, even though it can be tempting to use it for something extravagant.

Modern D.I.Y. Could Save You A Fortune

Wedding invitations are traditionally made from luxury paper or card, and they can cost quite a bit. Then there is the cost of posting them out, which can quickly mount up especially if your guests number in the hundreds. Why not think about sending digital invites instead? These can be as extravagant as you like and will be infinitely cheaper than card and paper invites – and they will have the added benefit of being eco-friendly too!

If you are good with flower arranging, or are skilled at creating a good effect with decorations, why not decorate the venue yourself? This is a great way to save some pennies and to be sure that the venue is laid out exactly the way you want it to be. You can purchase the décor supplies from any craft shop and with a bit of practise and teamwork, you can get the room looking gorgeous in no time at all. This is a great way to get the perfect wedding decorations on a budget, as you will save money both by buying the decorations yourself, and you will save on not having to pay someone to decorate the room for you.

Small Favours May Be Best

It can be tempting to offer generous gifts to guests, but this can be an expensive mistake. If you have a lot of guests, the costs will mount up rapidly, and could even see you going over your budget. Plus, some people will not take their party favours home, either not wanting them or not realising that they can take them. This means that they will be thrown away when the room is cleared – and that is a sad waste of money! Instead, give your guests something small, inexpensive and personalised. A good way to do this is to attach their name place cards to their party favour.

Know Your Priorities

With any wedding there will be features that the couple wants to include, as well as some that they are not especially bothered about. While working to a budget, a quick way of weeding out unwanted expense is to cross off anything that the couple are ambivalent about, keeping only the features that they definitely do want to include.

When planning the wedding, aim to keep things simple. Simplicity in décor, design and fashion is always elegant and timeless – and it is often cheaper too! Always remember you reasons for the wedding: this day should all be about love, compromise and romance – it is not a fashion contest where the winner is the person who spends the most money!

Is A Weekend Really Essential?

Finally, consider a weekday wedding to save on costs. Venues, the service, even the catering can all be cheaper if you opt for a weekday rather than the more popular weekend days. Do not worry about your guests not being able to make it, as long as you give them enough notice, those who want to share your special day with you will be able to make time to be there. So there you have it, from wedding decorations on a budget to holding the entire wedding on a small budget, these are just a few ways that you can save money on your wedding, while still enjoying a fantastic and memorable day with your family and friends.

Could Reigate Hill be the wedding venue for you? Get in touch with us today!